Holdback device.



PATENTED JUNE 139 T1905,

No. 792,3'7l.

A. R'WEEKS.

HOLDBAGK DBVIE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. s.

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Amm/m lNiTnD STATES PATENT Patented June 13, 1905.

Fries.

HOLDBACK DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,371, dated June 13, 1905.

y Application filed January 3, 1905. Serial No. 239,489.

To r//ZZ wil/0711, if may cm1/cern:

Be it known that I, ALBION PARIS l/VEEKS, residing at Santa Cruz, in the county of Santa Cruz and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Holdback Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in holdback devices which are more particularly adapted for use with vehicles employing horse-detaching means to prevent accidents to the occupants of the vehicles during runaways, and while my invention is particularly well adapted for use with the type of horse-detaching mechanism disclosed in my copending application filed on even date herewith, yet it may be used on any vehicle either with or Without such horsedetaching means.

Generically, my present invention includes a brecching-holdback hook of a very simple, durable, and easily manufactured construction which will readily serve its intended purposes and which in its general make-up includes a plate adapted to be attached to the vehicle-shafts, a hook integrally formed with such plate and bifurcated to receive a latch member, which latch member is pivotally secured to the hook between the bifurcated portions thereof and includes a plate-engaging end having its free end face beveled and also provided at its free end with an aperture. At its inclosed end the latch is formed With a shoulder against which the breeching-ring rests to hold the latch member in proper locked position when the horse is holding back, a spring being provided to aid in holding' the latch with its free end against the plate at all normal times.

V ith other objects in view than have heretofore been enumerated the invention also includes certain novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first described in detail and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention as applied for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan View thereof.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the base-plate and the bifurcated hook. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the latch member detached. Fig.- 6 is a side elevation showing how the latch member may be tied down when desired.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals and letters of reference designate like parts in all of the figures, 1 represents a base-plate, which is adapted to be secured to the vehicle-shaft S by screws 1 passing through apertures 1J in the base-plate or by any other convenient means. Integrally formed with the base 1 is a hook 2, comprising the same parallelly-disposed side portions 2a 2, spaced apart to leave a passage-way 2" and to receive the latch 3 in the passage-way between such portions 2u 2. rlhe latch 3 is curved to correspond with the curvature of the hook 2 and is pivotally Secured between the portions 2n 2SL of the hook on a pin 3X, as shown. At the free end the latch 3 is beveled, as at 3, to permit ready insertion of the breeching-ring 5 hereinafter again referred to and the latch 3 also has its under edge 3b merging with the heel 3c to form an angle to the front edge 3l of the heel 3 for a purpose presently more clearly understood. 4 designates a spring member secured at one end to the plate 1 and held with its free end 4f engaging the under edge 3C of the heel 3 of the latch 3 to normally hold the latch with its free end in engagement with the baseplate 1.

rI he free end of the latch 3 is apertured, as at 3f, to receive a securing-cord c, by means of which the latch may be tied down, as clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, Whenever it may be found desirable to do so-as, for instance, when the device is used on vehicles not employing horse-detaching mechanism and where a positive connection between the breeching-holdback and the vehicle-shafts is required. When the latch is not tied down, the aperture 3t serves as a convenient fingerengaging portion to allow of lifting up of the latch when harnessing or unharnessing the horse to permit the ready insertion or Withdrawal of the breeching-lioldback ring 5, be-

fore referred to.

So far as described the manner 1n whichl IOO my invention operates can be best explained as follows: After the plate has been secured te the shafts it is only necessary to slip the ring 5 ot the holdback-strap under the beveled edge 3, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. Q, when the ring will raise the latch and slip into position. lVhen the horse is holding bach', the ring is held up against the front edge 3 ot' the heel 3, and thereby prevents the tree end of the latch being raised, as the pressure on said heel portion due to the horse pulling back serves to positively hold the latch with its Vtree end in tight engag'ement with the plate. lVhen my invention is used in connection with other detaching devices Vfor releasing the traces, 85e., and the horse starts to run away, as the horse pulls out trom the shafts the ring will readi ly disconnect itselt Vfrom the hook during a forward pull thereo't' and become readily released Vfrom the hook.

From the Vforegoing description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it is thought the advantages, operation, and complete construction ot' my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains, and 1 desire to say that slight changes in the detailed construction, arrangement, and design of the various parts may be made without departing YFrom the scope ot the invention or from the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A holdback comprising a base-plate, a hootv secured thereto, a latch iiivotally mounted in said hook and having a Vfree end projeeting beyond said. hook 'for engaging the base-plate, means carried by the base-plate and engaging' the latch to hold it with its 'tree end against the plate, and means Ytor securing the latch from movement, said last-named means comprising a tie-cord passed through an aperture in the Vfree end of the latch and around the base-plate.

2. A holdback comprising a base-plate, a pair ot' parallelly-disposed hook members integrally vformed with said plate, a latch pivotally secured to and. between said hook members, said latch having its Ylrec end beveled and adapted to engage the base-plate, a shout der on said latch to be engaged by the holdback-strap ring to hold the latch with its tree end against the base-plate, and a springI vfor engaging the latch to normally hold such tree end in engagement with its plate, said latch having its free end apertured to term a linger-engaging portion, substantially as shown and described.

B. A holdback comprising a base-plate, a pair ot' parallellydispesed hook members integrally vlormed therewith, a latch pivotally secured to and between said hook members, said latch having' its Vtree end beveled and adapted to engage the base-plate, said latch having a heel portion forming a shoulder to be engaged by the holdbacli-strap ring to hold the latch with its tree end against the base-plate, a spring secured to the base-plate and engaging the heel portion ot the latch for normally holding the Vtree end ot the latch in engagement with the base-plate, said latch having its 'tree end apertured to term a lingerengaging portion, all being' arranged substantially as shown and described.

4t. A holdback comprising a base-plate, a pair of parallelly-disposed hook members integrally formed therewith and having their upper surfaces curved, a latch pivotally secured to and between said hook members, said. latch having its upper surface curved on the curve of the upper 'faceot the hook members to torni a continuation thereof, said latch having its 'tree end beveled and adapted to engage the base-plate, said latch having a heel portion having a shoulder to be engaged by the holdbael-strap ring to hohl the latch with its ilree end against the base-plate, said latchheel having a beveled portion, a slit in the base-plate, a flat spring held in said baseplate slit and against the beveled portieri et the heel of the latch for normally holding the free end et' the latch in engagement with the base-plate, said latch having its :tree end apertured to form a li nger-engaging portion, all being arranged substantially as shown and described.

ALBION PAH-IS VEEKS.

Wi tnesses:

.Pnim'r FINDLEY (maniacs L. Towne. 

